Ordnance breech mechanism.



A. T. DAWSON & G. T. BUCKHAM.

ORDNANCE BREEGH MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED JAN-18,1918.

Patented Apr. 15,1919.

i. To qllwh m itmayjconcemn; I K a 7 fgBe it :known thatwe,' -Sir ARTHUR TREVOR Dewsom-knight, and a Sir Groren Tnoivrxs BfiCKfi'AM,=kI1lght,' both isubj ects of the King f-Gieat- Britain, residing atIVickers House, Broadwayg westminster, in the county of iqndon, England; have invented certain new a nd ;usefullmprovements in or Relating to 'ollowing :is aspecification. v

mechanism of the kind comprising a breechcrewrmountedon the stem-or spigot of a swinging.carrieriandprovided with an obtuatorfiofethei'de 'Bange rora similar type be een lwhosegaxial vent bolt and the carrier stem-is interposed'a sleeve'Which-loears at its forward end against part of the breech screw and serves asgan abutment for the axial vent spring' that transmits pressure to the obmtQr-; f i According p w -theginvention the carrier ormed with a forward prolongation ch fitsgin ian axialhole in the forward partof-the breech screw, and the sleeve interpofsed between the said stem and .the axlal ntboltof the ol ot1 1 rator, has transverse or -dialaprojections which pass through the 7 carrier- ;stem; and bear against a a stop or V shoulder on "the said forward part i of the breech screw; ;The said axial hole, which of comparatively large bore and ofone unifo'rnrzgdiameter jalso v receives an enlarged the forward s end of the said prolonga- 'bolt'; g

tiorrheingdisposed contiguous to vthe said enlarged=-portion.; I g I i-In ,orderthatthe said invention may be clearly understoodiand readily carried into '1 with reference to the accompanying draw 'ing, in which Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sect on showing a constructional form of our 1mpro vementsl; in the upper -;lialf of the figure the sleeve :interposed between the carrier stem.;andj. the;axial vent gbolt is shown in sectiongand-in the lower half it is shown in elevation. i

Fig. Zisa-sectionalplan of Fig. 1; in the JUPPBI' half of this figure the carrier stem is sh'ow-n'in section and in the lower half it is howniin elevation.

Ordnance' 'Breech Mechanism, of which the I invention relates to; ordnance breech portion; on the, forward end of the axial vent efiecg yve will describe the same more fully T-ED- STATEs PATENT OFFICE? mrnuaTnEvoRnAwso AND GEORGE THOMAS BUoKHAivi, or w s'rMiNs'rEa, ;LQNDON, 'VENIG-LAND, ASSIGNORS TO, VIQKERS LIMITED, OF WESTMINSTER,

oRDNA'NcE rnEEoH EoHAmsr/L I Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Apr, 15 I Application filed January 18, 1918. Serial No. 212,500.

Fig. 3,is a rear elevation of the sleeve of Fig. 1 with the carrier stem shown in section on theline 3, 3 ofFig. 1. I

A is part of the breech screw, B is the carrier stem and B is the forward prolon ation of this stem fitting in an axial hole A in the forward part of the breech screw. C is' the axial vent bolt and C isthe enlarged portion on the forward end of the axial vent bolt. D is the aforesaid sleeve interposed between the carrier stem and the axial Vent bolt and D, D are the transverse orradial projections onthis sleeve. E is the axial vent spring which at its. forward end slidably connected by a key and keyway to the axial vent bolt C. The rear surface of this collar bears against 'a nutE on the '1 axial vent bolt. Theiforward prolongation B ofthe carrier stem isin direct contact with the wall of the axial hole A (no interposed bushing or liner beingemployed) and the rear part of the breech screw is formed with a hole having the usual 7 interrupted threads engaging with corresponding threads on the carrier stem. The sleeve D is slidably connected to the axial vent bolt byakey and keyway. 1

In the example shown the transverse or radial projections D, D on the sleeve D are arranged diametrically opposite each other and pass through longitudinal slots 7), b in the forward end of the prolongation B of the carrier stem. The forward surfaces of the projections D, D bear against the forward wall of a large central recess A in the breech screw. These projections are situated some distance from the' forward end of the sleeve D and the portion of the sleeve in front of the said projections is formed with extensions 66, d of the said projections; these extensions, which are of the same width as the projections D, D protrude into the longitudinal slots 7), b for a substantial portion of the length of these slots so as to avoid the possibility of the forward slotted end of the carrier stem prolongation being closed in as a. result of any unforeseen shocks. The said extensions do not however project radially beyond the slots. The said projections D, D, and the slots 5, 6 prevent rotation. of the sleeve B relatively to the carrier stem and obviate the necessity of providing a 'keyfand ,keywayl between the f sleeve and the carrier stem. 7

' In assembling the parts the procedure followedin connection with the breech mechanism as at present constructed is adopted, except that the sleeve D is inserted in'the carrier stem B prior to the placing of the breech screw in position on thelatter. The said sleeve then constitutes an easy guide for the axial vent bolt when the-latter is beingassembled; this sleeve remains undisturbed when the axial vent bolt-is removed for replacing a worn or damaged obturator.

By reason of our improvements we are able to give increased support to the breech screw asnear to the 'ii'r orltiace as is practicable, such increased rsupport being particularly advantageous with heavy breech screws of l'a'rge caliber ordnance; we are also able to facilitate the forgingandinternal -ma-- chining of the breechscrew (particularly the machining ofthe central'recess A 'owing'to the aforesaid hole A in the forward portion ofthe breech screw being of l'argefbore and of "one uniform diameter unprovided with f shoulders or steps; 7 What we claim'and desire'to secureby Letters Patent-ofthe United States is:-'

1.I'n-=0itdnance breech mechanism 'of th'e breech-screw carrier type, the, combination with the breech screw,,the axial vent bolt ofsaid screw, the carrier, stem, the spring;

7 ofthe axial'vent boltrand a sleevewhi'ch is iriterposed between the axial vent' b'oltfand the carrier stem which sleeve bears against the breech screw'andalso'serves asan abut mentfforthe springzof the axial vent bolt, of a. forward prolongation of said carrier stem fitting in an axial-hole in'theforward part of the breech screw,- and a projection on said sleeve passing through",said' stem and bearing against part ofthebreech screw' behin'd'said prolongation;

of said 1 screw, the carrier stem, fthe -spring of the axial vent bolt'and*a;sleeve which is interposed between the axial vent b'olt'and the carrier stem which sleeve bearsagainstthe breech screw and also serves asan abutment for the spring ofthe axial vent bolt,

of aforward' prolongationof said carrier stem fitting in an axial hole'in the forward part of'the breech screw, and transverse pro-I jections on said sleeve passing through said stem and bearing against part of the breech screw.

3. In ordnance breech mechanism of the breech-screw carrier type, the combination with the breech screw, the axial vent bolt of said screw, thecarrier stem, the spring of the axial ventj bolt and a sleeve which is in terposed between theaxialvent bolt andthe 2, In ordnance breech 'me'chanism-gof the. V i breech-screw carrier type,fthe combination with the 5 breech screw, the axial vent bolt carrier stem sleeve bears against: the breech. screw. andalso serves, as an abutment r for the spring of the axial vent bolt, of a forward, prolongation of. said carrier; stem fitting in Jan axial'ho'lefin ,the 'jforw ardpart of the'bree'c'h' screw andradialfp G'QtlOIlS on I said sleevepassing through "saidi' stem and bearing'against part of the breech screw.

4.-In ordnancebreech' mechanism of the breech-screw carrier type, the r combination' v I with-the breech 'sorew, the axial vent bolt of saidscrew the carrier stem, the spring" of the axial vent-bolt andia sleeve-whieh interposed between' -the axial vent bolt 511a,, V the carrier stem which sleeve bears; against;

the breech screw and 'also servesas =-fan abutment for the spring- -of--the-axi fl i vent bdlty of a for v'vard""pr'olon'gation org-said carrier? stem fitting in an axial *hole in-lth jorward jpartoffthe breec'hscrevwand; transverse-prod j'e'ction's' on said sleeve passing throiigh slqts formed in the end;Of-saidprdlongation of the stem and jbearing against p'artg of -the breech screwg 1 '1 v Y 5. In Or nance breech ment for the spring 'of-the axial yene bola of .a forward prolongatien or said earne -1 Z c 15 V stem fitting 'in-',an:'ja-x i'al hole in the onward-' Li,

part of the breechscrew, transverse projec tions on sleeve, passin'g tliro 1 glr;' slots} L I formed theend of said prolengationl of the "stem andbearingagainst parti-fithe 5 5 breeelrscrew, andgfurther projections Loire d sleeve vjiproltrn'ding into ;thesIots='for V a--; s'i1b breech-screw "carrier itypefthe 'conjibihatijon a, with the-breech -screw,' the axiai vent; l'aolt of *said screw, "the: carrier-stem; the'spring jof; the axial vent bolt and a sleeve whims-is interposed between the axial vent 'boliyand; V r the carrier stem "which; sleeve 'bears against thebreech screw and also serves as-*an.abi'1t-' 'ment for the spring of the axial'ventbolt,of V

a forward prolongation ofthis stern fitting in an axial holefi'n theiforward'part of'thebreech'screw, thisyholebeing of large 'bore- 7 anfd' 'of one uniform diameter, an enlarged portion on the forward'part 'of 'the axial vent bolt, this enlarged -portion-also-'fitting in the said axialholefand "a projeetimron said sleeve passingthrough said stem"-and 1 bearing against partofthefbreechscrew bev hindsaid-prolongation. '7 7; In ordnance-breech mechanism Off- 13116" breech-screw carrier typefthe combination stantial poition of their length,'these lat it 7 7 ter projections lying with-in -the-"uter sup-1 face ofthe said prclon aa ft 5 V 6. In, ordnancei breech" mechanism ofthe 1 10 l ith thebreech screw, the axial vent bolt of said screw, the carrier stem, the spring of the axial vent bolt and a sleeve which is inrposed' between the axial vent bolt and the carrier stem which sleeve bears against the reeeh' serew and also serves as an abutment for the spring of the axial vent bolt, of a 1111311 axial hole in the forward part of the IOQbreeCh screw, this hole being of large bore of .one uniform'diameter, an enlarged 'forward prolongation; of this stem fitting our signatures.

ARTHUR TREVOR DAWSON. GEORGE THOMAS BUCKHAM.

conies'ot this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of .Eatents,

I Washington, 11.0. 

